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Movies / On DVD / Cloverfield
Cloverfield

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Cloverfield (2008)

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Reviews Counted:191

Fresh:146

Rotten:45

Average Rating:6.8/10

Consensus: A sort of Blair Witch Project crossed with Godzilla, Cloverfield is economically paced, stylistically clever, and filled with scares.

Rated: 15 [See Full Rating] for violence, terror and disturbing images.

Runtime: 85 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Theatrical Release:01-02-2008

Synopsis: Director Matt Reeves (THE PALLBEARER) and producer J. J. Abrams (LOST, ALIAS) turn a mysterious monster loose in Manhattan in the disaster flick CLOVERFIELD. The movie begins at a party for Rob... Director Matt Reeves (THE PALLBEARER) and producer J. J. Abrams (LOST, ALIAS) turn a mysterious monster loose in Manhattan in the disaster flick CLOVERFIELD. The movie begins at a party for Rob (Michael Stahl-David), who has accepted a promotion that will send him to Japan. Hud (T. J. Miller) is entrusted with the responsibility of videotaping the party--and as the trouble grows, he holds on to the camera, recording everything that happens. In fact, the entire movie is seen through the lens of his camera, reminiscent of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. As terrified people in a post-9/11 New York City take to the streets, Rob decides to head uptown to try to save Beth (Odette Yustman), the woman he loves, though he's afraid to tell her so. Rob is joined by his brother Jason (Mike Vogel), Jason's girlfriend Lily (Jessica Lucas), Lily's friend Marlena (Lizzy Caplan), and Hud, who has a thing for Marlena. Rob is determined not to give up, even after almost being crushed by the Statue of Liberty's head and as the military shows up to force evacuation of the city. Reeves and first-time screenwriter Drew Goddard, who previously has written television episodes of such series as BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL, ALIAS, and LOST, focus in on the central aspect of the story: people trying to survive the monster attack. Very little else is explained, since the story is told completely through the video camera. And there is no additional score to heighten the drama; the only music is that which is picked up by Hud and the camera's microphone, including snippets of songs by Kings of Leon, Parliament Funkadelic, Of Montreal, and others. The anticipation of CLOVERFIELD's release was enhanced by a viral marketing campaign that included Web sites built around the main characters and even the fictional drink Slusho. [More]

Starring: Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman, Lizzy Caplan

Starring: Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller

Director: Matt Reeves

Director: Matt Reeves
Screenwriter: Drew Goddard
Producer: J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk
Studio: Paramount Pictures

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for Cloverfield

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Feels like one big, masterfully executed experiment in upping the ante in audience manipulation, and it works brilliantly.

Full Review Source: IGN Movies UK | comment Comment
02/07/08
Orlando Parfitt
Orlando Parfitt
IGN Movies UK

Even if there's nothing new going on here, the style and quality of this film injects a terrific sense of terror into the old monster movie formula.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
01/28/08
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

Jaw dropping stuff but you will have to have a strong stomach to cope with the constantly moving camera.

Full Review Source: Heart 106.2 | comment Comment
01/28/08
Simon Thompson
Simon Thompson
Heart 106.2

A dazzling experiment that paid off immensely, this is cinematic pleasure at its purest.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
01/22/08
Olly Richards
Olly Richards
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Memorable neither for its special effects nor the gimmickry of the hand-held camera.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
11/26/09
Jamie Gillies
Jamie Gillies
Apollo Guide

A stylish and satisfyingly intense update of one of Hollywood's most well-trodden film concepts: the attack of the 150-foot (give or take) monster.

Full Review Source: Times-Picayune | comment Comment
09/04/09
Mike Scott
Mike Scott
Times-Picayune

Grabby 9/11 imagery, facile jolts, and smeared textures

Full Review Source: CinePassion | comment 2 Comments
08/27/09
Fernando F. Croce
Fernando F. Croce
CinePassion

Characters may struggle for interesting things to say on camera, but the film nonetheless reveals hidden depths.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
08/20/09
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

For gasps and thrills and movie monster mayhem, the film is a success. It's not flawless, but if you shove that aside, I guarantee you that you will have a gas at the theater.

Full Review Source: UGO | comment Comment
08/14/09
Jordan Hoffman
Jordan Hoffman
UGO

I think when they started filming Cloverfield, somebody accidentally dropped the camera. Someone else said, "Cool." So they kept dropping the camera. And they threw it, and jerked it, and kicked it. And it went into terminal spasms.

Full Review Source: Fayetteville Free Weekly | comment 4 Comments
02/02/09
Tony Macklin
Tony Macklin
Fayetteville Free Weekly

A clunky blend of hand-held camera and faux realism. How can the creator of shows like Alias and Lost make such weak movies?

Full Review Source: Oscar Guy | comment Comment
09/30/08
Wesley Lovell
Wesley Lovell
Oscar Guy

It's the closest a film has ever gotten to a roller-coaster ride. It will definitely nauseate, it feels claustrophobic, there are sudden scares, and it also peaks too early.

Full Review Source: The Scorecard Review | comment Comment
08/27/08
Jeff Bayer
Jeff Bayer
The Scorecard Review

If you like kick butt monster movies, then this one will deliver for you! Go see it right away!

Full Review Source: Sin Magazine | comment Comment
08/22/08
Austin Kennedy
Austin Kennedy
Sin Magazine

Despite the mostly convincing verisimilitude of the approach, the film does succumb, especially in its last act, to some cheap manipulation, one or two bad stereotypes, and some cornball Hollywood schmaltz.

Full Review Source: ESplatter | comment Comment
07/22/08
Steve Biodrowski
Steve Biodrowski
ESplatter

...an A for effort, a B for visuals, a C for content, and a C for photography, the latter, of course, being intentionally herky-jerky.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
06/03/08
John J. Puccio
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com

I love this movie.

Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment 8 Comments
05/28/08
Walter Chaw
Walter Chaw
Film Freak Central

Cinéma Vérité Godzilla - canny enough to have been designed for the YouTube generation as well as for those elder folks like myself that still like a good ride on the roller coaster every once in awhile.

Full Review Source: Windy City Times | comment Comment
05/22/08
Richard Knight
Richard Knight
Windy City Times

If some veterans have flashbacks while watching "Saving Private Ryan," it should be safe to say that "Cloverfield" will bring back a lot bad memories for some New Yorkers. Yes, "Cloverfield" looks and feels that realistic.

Full Review Source: Watertown Daily Times | comment Comment
05/20/08
Adam Tobias
Adam Tobias
Watertown Daily Times

This film should NEVER leave the theatres.

Full Review Source: BDK Reviews | comment 11 Comments
05/17/08
Kevin McCarthy
Kevin McCarthy
BDK Reviews

... exciting, terrifying and breathlessly entertaining.

Full Review Source: MSNBC | comment Comment
05/01/08
Alonso Duralde
Alonso Duralde
MSNBC
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Latest News for Cloverfield

April 27, 2009: Five Favourite Films with J. J. Abrams
The blockbuster season is upon us and amongst the line-up is the highly anticipated reboot of Star Trek. RT spoke to the man in the captain's chair, J. J. Abrams, about his... More...

March 02, 2009: Abrams Plots Cloverfield Sequel-Type Thing Opens in new window
Saying "the idea's pretty sweet," J.J. Abrams has confirmed that a sequel to "Cloverfield" -- or at least a new movie "related to" it -- is on the table. More...

September 25, 2008: Matt Reeves Will Let the Right One In Opens in new window
Overture is prepping a remake of Tomas Alfredson's Swedish vampire movie "Lat Den Ratte Komma In," to be helmed by "Cloverfield" director Matt Reeves. More...

April 21, 2008: RT on DVD: Cloverfield, Charlie Wilson and 2008's Worst-Reviewed Film
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a Slusho, whatever that is! Cloverfield stomps its way onto DVD as not only the most exciting new release of the week, but the one most... More...

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